You should know - We've had Better Fuel Technology for Years

Timber Loftis · 03-14-2003, 06:32 PM

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Press contact: Jon Coifman, NRDC Climate Center communications director, 202-289-2404
If you are not a member of the press, please write to us at nrdcinfo@nrdc.org or see our contact page.

NRDC Report Finds Improved Fuel Efficiency Expands Consumer Choice; Ending Light Truck Loophole Adds Options for Safe, Clean Cars and SUVs

Group Responds to National Academy Study, Congressional Debate
WASHINGTON (July 30, 2001) - Improved fuel economy standards for cars, light trucks and SUVs would expand consumer choice by ensuring that automakers design all vehicles -- not just the best in class -- with efficiency in mind, according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Manufacturer innovations in nearly every market segment show that safe, clean, efficient designs are readily achievable, the new paper says.

"No one chooses to buy a vehicle because it gets lousy mileage," said Roland Hwang, an NRDC senior policy analyst and author of the report. "Automakers themselves have demonstrated that it's possible to build cars and trucks that meet consumer needs for safety and performance without wasting gas. Stronger fuel economy rules level the playing field so people won't have to give up one for the other."

The report, "Clean Getaway: Toward Safe and Efficient Vehicles," comes as Congress prepares to debate fuel economy standards. It concludes the best and fastest solution for saving consumers money at the gas pump and cutting vehicle pollution is to immediately close a loophole that holds SUVs and light trucks to a standard that is 25 percent lower than passenger cars (20.7 mpg vs. 27.5 mpg).

"Cars and SUVs have converged on each other to the point where many even share the same mechanical platforms," said Hwang. "Eliminating the false legal distinction between them is the first step in boosting mileage performance."

The House of Representatives will consider an amendment by Reps. Sherwood Boehlert (R, New York) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), eliminating the special treatment afforded SUVs and light trucks later this week in the debate over a national energy legislation.

The report also recommends increasing fuel economy standards for all passenger vehicles to 40 mpg by 2012, concluding that a single standard for cars, SUVs and light trucks maximizes flexibility for automakers while giving consumers greater choice. The 40-mpg standard would eliminate 1 billion tons of global warming pollution annually while saving consumers $3,000 to $5,000 over the life of a vehicle.

The report further recommends tax incentives for purchasers of fuel-efficient hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles, and says federal research and development efforts should favor gasoline engine technologies over diesels. A diesel engine produces 100 times more soot than a comparable gasoline engine under the same load. Diesel exhaust contains 40 toxic substances, including arsenic, dioxins, formaldehyde, lead and mercury.

Safe and Sound
"Clean Getaway" debunks common myths about the safety of fuel-efficient cars, stressing statistics that show gas guzzlers are often less safe than more efficient models, within and across vehicle classes. Safety issues involving the Ford Explorer are just one example. The report also notes that General Motors' Jimmy SUV rated only one star from federal safety authorities, while the Honda Accord earned five stars. A Jeep Cherokee rated only three stars in side-impact collisions; the Volkswagen Beetle, five.

"Design plays a key roll in vehicle safety," said Hwang. "The fact is that you are often better off overall in an efficient car than a fuel-thirsty truck." To the extent that weight plays a role, Hwang says reducing differences in mass between vehicles in a collision is the answer. And the best way to do that is with lighter, better-designed SUVs, he said.

We Have the Technology
Despite the fact that average fuel economy has been dropping for more than a decade, engines today are substantially more efficient than their predecessors. The problem is automakers have been focusing on increasing speed and weight. Horsepower has increased 79 percent since 1980, while 0-to-60 miles-per-hour times have dropped by a quarter -- despite an average 21 percent weight gain across the nation's vehicle fleet.

A variety of off-the-shelf technologies exist today to dramatically improve fuel efficiency, from camshaft and cylinder design to low-resistance tires and electronically controlled transmissions. Many are already in use. The report cites a growing number of models from SUVs to sports cars that get substantially better mileage than their competitors. Such vehicles embody the sort of innovation that will proliferate throughout the fleet once new standards are in place.

A Ford Explorer, for example, using the full litany of fuel saving technologies, would be nearly 50 percent more fuel-efficient and still accelerate more quickly than current designs, according to a report released last year by the Union of Concerned Scientists.

First Shot in Domestic Global Warming Fight
The fuel economy debate represents the first opportunity for Congress to officially weigh in on global warming issues after more than 170 countries adopted rules for implementing the Kyoto climate treaty last week in Bonn, Germany. The United States stood alone among major countries in rejecting the pact.

"Action on fuel economy will begin to fill the Bush administration's policy vacuum on global warming," said Dr. Daniel Lashof, science director for the NRDC Climate Center. "Legislation introduced this spring by Senators Jeffords (R-Vermont) and Lieberman (D-Conn.) on global warming pollution from power plants is the next key measure."

The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 500,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco.

Related NRDC Pages
Clean Getaway: Toward Safe and Efficient Vehicles

Harkoliar · 03-14-2003, 07:40 PM

thats nice [img]smile.gif[/img] but i read in times magazine (the best gadgets or something like that) once that there are going to introduce a new kind of car that has no engine therefore no gas... kinda small but still spacious since it doesnt need a engine anymore. it runs on electricity (i think) with solar power to go with it. too bad its coming out in 2010.

antryg · 03-14-2003, 10:49 PM

There are a lot of great things here TL. I'm not sure that low resistance tires is one that I want though. Driving on ice is low resistance but it tends to make the stops a tad hard to make.

I agree that the light truck/SUV loophole is one that needs to be closed. There are very real and legitimate concerns and needs for many large vehicles; but since most are only used on well maintained roads and highways, they don't need to be built like tanks.

The.Relic · 03-14-2003, 11:14 PM

It has been a known fact for many years that there are more environment friendly and better transportation methods available. And I am sure that politicians worldwide would admit that many of these systems would be ideal, or at least a fantastic step in the right direction. Unfortunately we have to factor in present world reality into the equation, and that factor is one of the most critical industries worldwide, which we all know is the "Petroleum Industry". Like it or not, it is among the largest economical dependencies on earth for nearly every nation. Hopefully a way will eventually be found to phase out the absolute dependency on fossil fuels, but at present, it would be utterly impossible to replace the "Petroleum Industry" without totally devestating the worlds economy. Let us hope and pray that a solution will one day prove pheasable to gradually incorporate better transportation methods before it is too late, without a cataclysmic devestaion of the worlds economy.

[ 03-14-2003, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: The.Relic ]

TheCrimsomBlade · 03-15-2003, 01:05 AM

And what is this so called super car that will run cheep and clean? why does congress have to pass bills in order to use them? I have been hearing about these 100 MPG cars ever since the 1950's and you want to know a secret they are a pipe dream. The more the human race talks about these pipe dreams the more money it costs the tax payers, and I think it's a waist of time and money because the oil companies have so much money that no matter what the laymen and their lawyers think or try to do big oil will pass around enough money to the people that can be bought off to wipe out any means to use anything but oil to transport the peoples of the world No matter what anyone thinks or says. But if you can show us something that will allow us to propell our bodys around this planet at close to nothing faster and cheaper than oil then You will be able to rule the world because you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams, that is after the oil companies buy your divice and hide it away so that they can keep selling the rest of the world their oil, and it won't be the first time or the last that is if they don't just hide you away in some small bag at the bottom of the sea.
No Mallis was intended in this post just a truth that I can not prove and still find myself able to take a breath tomarrow.

khazadman · 03-15-2003, 10:08 AM

But an alternative to oil will have to be found one day Crimson. After all there is a finite amount of oil out there (maybe), and it's bound to run out one day.

The Hierophant · 03-15-2003, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by khazadman:
But an alternative to oil will have to be found one day Crimson. After all there is a finite amount of oil out there (maybe), and it's bound to run out one day.

Now, I'm not totally sure, but I hear that 'experts' quote the supply of oil running out in about 15 years should the current rate of consumption stay constant. But the way things are going, the consumption rate is only going to increase.
The question is, do you give in to aggressive corporate policy? Follow the lines of 'They'll find a way to screw us so we might as well give up the fight now'?
No way!

WillowIX · 03-15-2003, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheCrimsomBlade:
And what is this so called super car that will run cheep and clean? why does congress have to pass bills in order to use them? I have been hearing about these 100 MPG cars ever since the 1950's and you want to know a secret they are a pipe dream. The more the human race talks about these pipe dreams the more money it costs the tax payers, and I think it's a waist of time and money because the oil companies have so much money that no matter what the laymen and their lawyers think or try to do big oil will pass around enough money to the people that can be bought off to wipe out any means to use anything but oil to transport the peoples of the world No matter what anyone thinks or says. But if you can show us something that will allow us to propell our bodys around this planet at close to nothing faster and cheaper than oil then You will be able to rule the world because you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams, that is after the oil companies buy your divice and hide it away so that they can keep selling the rest of the world their oil, and it won't be the first time or the last that is if they don't just hide you away in some small bag at the bottom of the sea.
No Mallis was intended in this post just a truth that I can not prove and still find myself able to take a breath tomarrow.

No I agree with you. This seems to be "the truth" although for some reason it never is proved. I wonder if it has anything to do with massive contributions to political parties from companies/persons with a great deal of interest in oil. And since Ford is a rather large company I doubt they would like to see a new clean car on the street. I wonder why the japaneese haven´t released one though, since they have no oil reserves they would greatly benefit from a non-petrolium car.

On the bright side, I read about a car using compressed air as fuel. I think it is being developed in France. Cheap and easy manufactered fuel for everyone. [img]smile.gif[/img]

Azred · 03-15-2003, 09:05 PM

Actually this is good--if not exactly new--news. I'd love to have a highly efficient car; perhaps one that runs on fuel cells and batteries.

CrimsonBlade: yes, there is evidence that oil companies and auto manufacturers have bought and squelched more efficient technologies in the past. However, if those industries are intelligent they will now change that "unofficial" policy and embrace environmentally-friendly and fuel efficient cars that do not depend so heavily on petroleum distillates, because that is where the money in the next century will be found.

Timber Loftis · 03-16-2003, 04:42 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by TheCrimsomBlade:
And what is this so called super car that will run cheep and clean? why does congress have to pass bills in order to use them? I have been hearing about these 100 MPG cars ever since the 1950's and you want to know a secret they are a pipe dream. The more the human race talks about these pipe dreams the more money it costs the tax payers, and I think it's a waist of time and money because the oil companies have so much money that no matter what the laymen and their lawyers think or try to do big oil will pass around enough money to the people that can be bought off to wipe out any means to use anything but oil to transport the peoples of the world No matter what anyone thinks or says. But if you can show us something that will allow us to propell our bodys around this planet at close to nothing faster and cheaper than oil then You will be able to rule the world because you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams, that is after the oil companies buy your divice and hide it away so that they can keep selling the rest of the world their oil, and it won't be the first time or the last that is if they don't just hide you away in some small bag at the bottom of the sea.
No Mallis was intended in this post just a truth that I can not prove and still find myself able to take a breath tomarrow.

I think I agree with most everything said in this post. But I also think the "it won't change anything anyway" attitude, no matter how true, only goes to make all discussions on any topic moot. Whether it be in Congress, in protests, in scientific studies, or just here on Ironworks, the discussions and studies into this issue are important in and of themselves, lest nothing will ever change. Pointing out the huge powerful economic interests with big lobbying $$$ and Congressmen, policemen, mayors, and/or prosecutors in their pockets will likely beat David does not mean the evil of Goliath should not be addressed.

Besides, don't the "David's" of the world beat the "Goliaths" some small percentage of the time?

[ 03-16-2003, 04:43 PM: Message edited by: Timber Loftis ]

03-14-2003, 06:32 PM	#1
Timber Loftis 40th Level Warrior Join Date: July 11, 2002 Location: Chicago, IL Posts: 11,916	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Press contact: Jon Coifman, NRDC Climate Center communications director, 202-289-2404 If you are not a member of the press, please write to us at nrdcinfo@nrdc.org or see our contact page. NRDC Report Finds Improved Fuel Efficiency Expands Consumer Choice; Ending Light Truck Loophole Adds Options for Safe, Clean Cars and SUVs Group Responds to National Academy Study, Congressional Debate WASHINGTON (July 30, 2001) - Improved fuel economy standards for cars, light trucks and SUVs would expand consumer choice by ensuring that automakers design all vehicles -- not just the best in class -- with efficiency in mind, according to a new report by the Natural Resources Defense Council. Manufacturer innovations in nearly every market segment show that safe, clean, efficient designs are readily achievable, the new paper says. "No one chooses to buy a vehicle because it gets lousy mileage," said Roland Hwang, an NRDC senior policy analyst and author of the report. "Automakers themselves have demonstrated that it's possible to build cars and trucks that meet consumer needs for safety and performance without wasting gas. Stronger fuel economy rules level the playing field so people won't have to give up one for the other." The report, "Clean Getaway: Toward Safe and Efficient Vehicles," comes as Congress prepares to debate fuel economy standards. It concludes the best and fastest solution for saving consumers money at the gas pump and cutting vehicle pollution is to immediately close a loophole that holds SUVs and light trucks to a standard that is 25 percent lower than passenger cars (20.7 mpg vs. 27.5 mpg). "Cars and SUVs have converged on each other to the point where many even share the same mechanical platforms," said Hwang. "Eliminating the false legal distinction between them is the first step in boosting mileage performance." The House of Representatives will consider an amendment by Reps. Sherwood Boehlert (R, New York) and Ed Markey (D-Mass.), eliminating the special treatment afforded SUVs and light trucks later this week in the debate over a national energy legislation. The report also recommends increasing fuel economy standards for all passenger vehicles to 40 mpg by 2012, concluding that a single standard for cars, SUVs and light trucks maximizes flexibility for automakers while giving consumers greater choice. The 40-mpg standard would eliminate 1 billion tons of global warming pollution annually while saving consumers $3,000 to $5,000 over the life of a vehicle. The report further recommends tax incentives for purchasers of fuel-efficient hybrid or alternative fuel vehicles, and says federal research and development efforts should favor gasoline engine technologies over diesels. A diesel engine produces 100 times more soot than a comparable gasoline engine under the same load. Diesel exhaust contains 40 toxic substances, including arsenic, dioxins, formaldehyde, lead and mercury. Safe and Sound "Clean Getaway" debunks common myths about the safety of fuel-efficient cars, stressing statistics that show gas guzzlers are often less safe than more efficient models, within and across vehicle classes. Safety issues involving the Ford Explorer are just one example. The report also notes that General Motors' Jimmy SUV rated only one star from federal safety authorities, while the Honda Accord earned five stars. A Jeep Cherokee rated only three stars in side-impact collisions; the Volkswagen Beetle, five. "Design plays a key roll in vehicle safety," said Hwang. "The fact is that you are often better off overall in an efficient car than a fuel-thirsty truck." To the extent that weight plays a role, Hwang says reducing differences in mass between vehicles in a collision is the answer. And the best way to do that is with lighter, better-designed SUVs, he said. We Have the Technology Despite the fact that average fuel economy has been dropping for more than a decade, engines today are substantially more efficient than their predecessors. The problem is automakers have been focusing on increasing speed and weight. Horsepower has increased 79 percent since 1980, while 0-to-60 miles-per-hour times have dropped by a quarter -- despite an average 21 percent weight gain across the nation's vehicle fleet. A variety of off-the-shelf technologies exist today to dramatically improve fuel efficiency, from camshaft and cylinder design to low-resistance tires and electronically controlled transmissions. Many are already in use. The report cites a growing number of models from SUVs to sports cars that get substantially better mileage than their competitors. Such vehicles embody the sort of innovation that will proliferate throughout the fleet once new standards are in place. A Ford Explorer, for example, using the full litany of fuel saving technologies, would be nearly 50 percent more fuel-efficient and still accelerate more quickly than current designs, according to a report released last year by the Union of Concerned Scientists. First Shot in Domestic Global Warming Fight The fuel economy debate represents the first opportunity for Congress to officially weigh in on global warming issues after more than 170 countries adopted rules for implementing the Kyoto climate treaty last week in Bonn, Germany. The United States stood alone among major countries in rejecting the pact. "Action on fuel economy will begin to fill the Bush administration's policy vacuum on global warming," said Dr. Daniel Lashof, science director for the NRDC Climate Center. "Legislation introduced this spring by Senators Jeffords (R-Vermont) and Lieberman (D-Conn.) on global warming pollution from power plants is the next key measure." The Natural Resources Defense Council is a national, non-profit organization of scientists, lawyers and environmental specialists dedicated to protecting public health and the environment. Founded in 1970, NRDC has more than 500,000 members nationwide, served from offices in New York, Washington, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Related NRDC Pages Clean Getaway: Toward Safe and Efficient Vehicles __________________

03-14-2003, 07:40 PM	#2
Harkoliar Jack Burton Join Date: March 21, 2001 Location: Philippines, but now Harbor City Sydney Age: 41 Posts: 5,556	thats nice [img]smile.gif[/img] but i read in times magazine (the best gadgets or something like that) once that there are going to introduce a new kind of car that has no engine therefore no gas... kinda small but still spacious since it doesnt need a engine anymore. it runs on electricity (i think) with solar power to go with it. too bad its coming out in 2010. __________________ Catch me if you can..

03-14-2003, 10:49 PM	#3
antryg Fzoul Chembryl Join Date: August 30, 2002 Location: Dallas, Tx. Age: 21 Posts: 1,765	There are a lot of great things here TL. I'm not sure that low resistance tires is one that I want though. Driving on ice is low resistance but it tends to make the stops a tad hard to make. I agree that the light truck/SUV loophole is one that needs to be closed. There are very real and legitimate concerns and needs for many large vehicles; but since most are only used on well maintained roads and highways, they don't need to be built like tanks. __________________

03-15-2003, 09:05 PM	#9
Azred Drow Priestess Join Date: March 13, 2001 Location: a hidden sanctorum high above the metroplex Age: 54 Posts: 4,037	Actually this is good--if not exactly new--news. I'd love to have a highly efficient car; perhaps one that runs on fuel cells and batteries. CrimsonBlade: yes, there is evidence that oil companies and auto manufacturers have bought and squelched more efficient technologies in the past. However, if those industries are intelligent they will now change that "unofficial" policy and embrace environmentally-friendly and fuel efficient cars that do not depend so heavily on petroleum distillates, because that is where the money in the next century will be found. __________________ Everything may be explained by a conspiracy theory. All conspiracy theories are true. No matter how thinly you slice it, it's still bologna.

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03-14-2003, 11:14 PM	#4
The.Relic Red Dragon Join Date: March 1, 2001 Location: Long Beach, CA. USA Age: 67 Posts: 1,589	It has been a known fact for many years that there are more environment friendly and better transportation methods available. And I am sure that politicians worldwide would admit that many of these systems would be ideal, or at least a fantastic step in the right direction. Unfortunately we have to factor in present world reality into the equation, and that factor is one of the most critical industries worldwide, which we all know is the "Petroleum Industry". Like it or not, it is among the largest economical dependencies on earth for nearly every nation. Hopefully a way will eventually be found to phase out the absolute dependency on fossil fuels, but at present, it would be utterly impossible to replace the "Petroleum Industry" without totally devestating the worlds economy. Let us hope and pray that a solution will one day prove pheasable to gradually incorporate better transportation methods before it is too late, without a cataclysmic devestaion of the worlds economy. [ 03-14-2003, 11:17 PM: Message edited by: The.Relic ]

03-15-2003, 01:05 AM	#5
TheCrimsomBlade Lord Ao Join Date: August 25, 2001 Location: Winchester ,Virginia , United States Age: 71 Posts: 2,081	And what is this so called super car that will run cheep and clean? why does congress have to pass bills in order to use them? I have been hearing about these 100 MPG cars ever since the 1950's and you want to know a secret they are a pipe dream. The more the human race talks about these pipe dreams the more money it costs the tax payers, and I think it's a waist of time and money because the oil companies have so much money that no matter what the laymen and their lawyers think or try to do big oil will pass around enough money to the people that can be bought off to wipe out any means to use anything but oil to transport the peoples of the world No matter what anyone thinks or says. But if you can show us something that will allow us to propell our bodys around this planet at close to nothing faster and cheaper than oil then You will be able to rule the world because you will be rich beyond your wildest dreams, that is after the oil companies buy your divice and hide it away so that they can keep selling the rest of the world their oil, and it won't be the first time or the last that is if they don't just hide you away in some small bag at the bottom of the sea. No Mallis was intended in this post just a truth that I can not prove and still find myself able to take a breath tomarrow.

03-15-2003, 10:08 AM	#6
khazadman User suspended until [Feb13] Join Date: December 6, 2001 Location: the south side of ol virginny Age: 62 Posts: 1,172	But an alternative to oil will have to be found one day Crimson. After all there is a finite amount of oil out there (maybe), and it's bound to run out one day.

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